1889) $2 Coin, "Toonie", Canada: 25th Anniversary of "Toonie" $2 coin (introduced in 1996) celebrated with a Silver Coin paired with the legacy replacement $2 banknote set released by the Royal Canadian Mint : Year of Coin & Banknote set issued: 2021:
The Obverse and Reverse of the $2 Silver Coin, presented against the Front of the $2 Banknote included in the "25th Anniversary of the Toonie' Coin and Banknote Set
The Royal Canadian Mint has issued a new Banknote and Coin set on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the release of Canada’s first $2 circulation coin.
The Bank of Canada’s $2 Banknote was issued as a definitive denomination since the establishment of National Currency issued by their authority in 1935.
The $2 Banknote has been part of five specific banknote series with the last $2 Banknote having been issued in 1986 as part of the “Birds of Canada” Series.
As a measure of cost-saving, the Bank of Canada decided to discontinue the issue of this Banknote denomination in 1996, and transition it onto a circulation coin which has a life span of over 20 years longer.
About the $2 Banknote 1986:
The Front of this Dark Red Banknote included a portrait of Canada’s sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II, who was first portrayed on Canadian Banknotes in 1954.
This image of the Queen was based on a photograph taken by Anthony Buckley (1912–93), believed to have been taken in 1984.
Considered to be one of the most informal portraits of Queen Elizabeth to be used on any banknote, it was also commented at the time to have been one of the most flattering of the mature monarch, who was 58 years old at the time.
The photograph was slightly amended through the process of engraving which was executed by Henry S. Doubtfire of Thomas De La Rue.
The original photograph and later engraving show Queen Elizabeth II wearing a dress with a plain neckline and a three-strand pearl necklace which was given to her by her grandfather King George V on the occasion of his Silver Jubilee, on the 06.05.1935.
The resulting portrait was later included on three denominations in the “Birds of Canada” series, the $2, $20, and $1,000 banknotes. Shown to the right of the Queen’s portrait on the $2 banknote is an image of Canada’s Parliament on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Centred towards the top of the note is the coat of arms of Canada.
The Back of this Banknote featured an engraving of two robins in front of the text CANADA.
Below the depiction of the robins was the serial number shown twice along with bar codes which were added to this series of banknotes to aid in counting and sorting electronically.
About the $2 coin 1996:
The first $2 circulation type coins were released on 19.02.1996 and are minted using a patented distinctive bi-metallic coin-locking mechanism.
Referred to colloquially as the "toonie", it is a devised word combining the number "two" and attaching the word "loonie," (a slang word for the Canadian one-dollar coin) — so-called due to the loon bird depicted on the Reverse of the $1 Coin.
There had been suggestions the coin should be referred to as “Nanuqs” (in honour of the polar bear standing on an ice floe depicted on the Reverse).
An informal national competition to name the bear resulted in the name “Churchill,” (a reference to the common polar bear sightings in Churchill, Manitoba,) but the toonie simply stuck with Canadian users.
The Obverse design of the $2 Coin depicted an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Canadian artist Dora de Pedery Hunt, which was introduced onto Canadian circulation coinage in 1990.
The introduction of the $2 Coin in 1996:
With the introduction of the $2 coin, the $2 banknote was officially withdrawn from circulation on the 16.02.1996, three days prior to the toonie’s introduction and to facilitate the widespread use of the coin.
In preparation for the coin’s introduction, the Royal Canadian Mint had produced 275 million coins at their Winnipeg facility.
Since its introduction, the $2 Coin has become a favourite (or preferred) denomination for commemorative purposes with more than 17 special designs having been introduced into circulation since 1999.
The commemorative set includes a replica coin minted in pure silver and is accompanied by an Uncirculated Bank of Canada 1986-dated $2 Banknote:
The Silver Proof Coin includes the original design seen on the $2 from 1996, along with the effigy of the Queen then used on the coins in 1991.
The design also includes pure gold plating to enhance the bi-metallic structure of the coins.
The $2 banknote’s serial number showing the prefix BRX identifies it as a replacement banknote issued if a regular note was damaged or destroyed during the printing process.
Replacement notes rarely enter circulation and these Banknotes included in the set were stored in Bank of Canada vaults for the last 25 years.
As of the 01.01.2021, all Canadian $2 banknotes including those which are part of this set are no longer legal tender but, as with all Bank of Canada banknotes, they can be redeemed for new legal tender without a time limit.
Set highlights:
- Each $2 Coin and Banknote is individually encapsulated and presented side by side in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded custom case along with a black outer protective box.
- A look back at the birth of the Toonie! This anniversary set features a 99.99% pure silver recreation of the $2 coin that made its debut on 19.02.1996—the same day Canada ceased to issue $2 bills, like the one featured here.
- A before-and-after retrospective, this set commemorates Canada’s transition to the Toonie by pairing one of the last $2 bank notes with a reproduction of the first $2 coin.
- A recreation of the first $2 coin issued in 1996, this coin’s Reverse was originally designed by Canadian artist Brent Townsend and features an adult polar bear in early summer, standing on an ice floe. The image portion is plated with gold to mimic the distinctive appearance of the bi-metallic circulation coin.. The rim is also plated with gold, which provides an extra touch of contrast and elegance.
- On the Obverse is depicted the classic effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Dora de Pédery-Hunt, while the double dates “1996-2021” commemorate the 25th anniversary of Canada’s $2 circulation coin.
- Sealed in a capsule, the uncirculated $2 bill is a colourful piece of the past. It was part of the 1986 Birds of Canada series issued by the Bank of Canada and represents the last of the $2 bank notes that circulated in Canada until 1996.
- A BRX Replacement Banknote: The serial number on $2 bill is marked BRX": the “BRX” prefix identifies it as a replacement Banknote, in case a regular one was damaged or destroyed during the printing process. Replacement notes rarely enter circulation—in fact, this one has been locked in the Bank vault for 25 years, which makes it a unique collectible.
- The switch to a $2 coin was proposed as a cost-saving measure, because coins generally last 20 times longer than paper currency. The $2 coin or “Toonie” (a combination of “two” and “Loonie,” the dollar coin’s nickname) was Canada’s first bi-metallic circulation coin.
- Packaging: The perfect pairing, your $2 coin and bank note are individually encapsulated and presented side by side in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded clamshell with a black beauty box.
- Includes a Serialised Certificate of Authenticity (COA) The Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins.
The specifications of this Coin set are:
Country of issue: Canada; Year: 2021; Coin Set theme: Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the toonie with the issue of a Coin and BRX Banknote Set"; Denomination/Face Value: $2 (Two Dollars); Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 1.0 Oz or 31.3 grams; Diameter/Size: 38.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof with Gold plating; Mintage: 7,500 pieces (7500 Sets); Presentation Box/Case: Yes; Certificate of Authenticity (COA): Yes, Serialised; Designers: (Reverse) Brent Townsend, (Obverse) Susanna Blunt.
31) North-west Territories, Canada: 150th Anniversary (1870-2020): A $30 (Thirty Canadian Dollars) Silver Proof Coin minted by the Royal Canadian Mint, celebrates the milestone: Year of Coin issue: 2020
32) An "Inuk" and a Quilliq", Canada: New 1/20 Ounce $10 Coins minted in Arctic Gold by the Royal Canadian Mint symbolise cultural diversity in Canada and features deeply symbolic elements that are important expressions of Inuit identity: Year of Coin issue: 2020
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